Yes, it can be done! I have receipts to prove it. It takes careful planning and strategic shopping. You have to be open to new foods and know a bit about cooking!. If you have access to youtube, you can learn how to cook!
I only buy food on sale. If it’s not on sale that week, I skip it. That means, I’m flexible. I am also eating very healthy and I eat meat. So, there I dispelled all the rumors about what you can’t do. I bring my left overs as lunch to work most days and I bring my oatmeal for breakfast.
Food prep helps take the mystery out of what to eat. Come up with what you want, keep it simple and do it. I will cook a big batch of rice and cut up my vegetables ahead of time and store in a freezer safe baggies. I also only cook maybe 3 times a week. Left-overs are my favorite. I’m never hungry and I always have food left over for the next week. The money I save in the following weeks goes toward a treat outside. Dunkin Donuts latte or chinese take-out one night. If I am really good and took advantage of a really good sale that month, I may even go out for brunch with the girls.
I always have spices on hand, which make everything taste good. I buy curry because it has turmeric, cumin and an array of other spices. I eat a ridiculous amount of garlic and onions in every meal. Adding that to your dishes takes it up a notch and you get multiple spices for the price of one. I always have salt, black pepper, sugar, cinnamon and pepper flakes on hand.
I drink a lot of water and only buy ginger ale soda when it’s on sale for $1 a bottle, when limes are on sale, I make fresh limeade, I also drink lots of tea.
If I am craving something sweet, I bake. grind up oatmeal into flour, add eggs, sugar, banana can make, pancakes, banana bread or muffins.
What I bought this week:
- $2.99 ground turkey
- $2.99 Lentils
- $2.45 bananas
- $2.49 5-minute oatmeal
- $1.99 5-lb of onions
- $2.50 8-heads of garlic
- $3.45 pack of chicken thighs (managers sale)
- $3.99 5 lb bag of rice
- $1.99 tomatoes
- $4 3-packs of frozen spinach
- $2.99 head of green cabbage
- $1.99 dozen eggs
- $2 bag of potato chips
What I ate:
Breakfast options:
- 10-minute oatmeal, cinnamon, sugar(optional), boiling water, 1/2 banana
- scrambled eggs, tortilla, sautéed tomatoes, spinach & onions and a whole banana
Lunch (I eat dinner left overs) and Dinner options:
- tacos: ground meat, tomatoes, sautéed onions, garlic, sautéed cabbage
- curry chicken, rice, spinach
- fried rice:onions, garlic, cabbage, eggs, ground meat; side of steamed spinach
- lentil soup
- cabbage stir fry:cabbage, onion, garlic, tomatoes, curry with rice
Snacks:
- potato chips
- over ripe frozen bananas in the blender makes a healthy ice cream treat
